Dispute Sparks Off Between Eto’o’s FECAFOOT And Bell’s L’ONIES, Over Choice Of Stadium For AFCON Qualifier Between Cameroon And Namibia

But FECAFOOT says at this stage the change of venue risk creating many problems, and insist that the Japoma Sports Complex in Douala must be maintained

Ahead of the African Cup of Nations, AFCON, qualifier between Cameroon and Namibia to be hosted by the former on September 7, 2024, a dispute has sparked off between the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT, whose current President is football legend, Samuel Eto’o Fils, and the National Sports Facilities And Equipment Board commonly known by the French acronym, l’ONIES, whose Board Chair is another football legend, Joseph Antoine Bell.  It is a dispute that has come to create a situation of uncertainty as to whether the September 7 match will be played in the nation’s economic capital, Douala, or in the nation’s capital, Yaounde.

The story goes that FECAFOOT as is normally done, contacted l’ONIES with a request to use the Japoma Sports Complex in Douala for the AFCON qualifier between Cameroon and Namibia on September 7, 2024. In a correspondence addressed to FECAFOOT on August 7, 2024, l’ONIES accepted the request of the Federation, and assured that the Japoma Sports Complex will be available to host the match on September 7.  The training sessions by the senior male national football teams of both Cameroon and Namibia were to hold at the annexes of the Ominisport Stadium at Bepanda, Douala, while the match takes place at the Japoma Sports Complex. FECAFOOT had already informed the Confederation of African Football, CAF, that, the Japoma Sports Complex in Douala would be the venue of the AFCON qualifier between Cameroon and Namibia on September 7, 2024.  CAF confirmed the venue of the match proposed by FECAFOOT.

It should however be noted that a CAF release that was addressed to all parties concerned with the AFCON qualifier between Cameroon and Namibia, to inform them of the  names of the match officials, was dated,  “Cairo, July 31, 2024”. In the release, CAF also indicated that the match will be played at the Japoma Stadium in Douala.  This meant that FECAFOOT informed CAF that the Japoma Sports Complex would be the venue of the match, before l’ONIES on August 7 confirmed that the stadium would be available.

 L’ONIES Proposes Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium In Yaounde

Meanwhile to the surprise of FECAFOOT, the Administrator of l’ONIES, Francois Felix Ewane, in a correspondence addressed to the President of the Federation on August 19, 2024, said with the ongoing unfavorable climatic condition in Douala, seen with the abundant rain, and with forecast showing that abundant rain will continue in the Littoral Region in the month of September, the Japoma Sports Complex will not be in a suitable state to host the international match between Cameroon and Namibia, scheduled for September 7.  The correspondence said there was also the risk that if the match has to take place in Douala, the two teams would have to train under rain, and that the match on September 7 would also be played under rain.  That there would thus be a lot of discomfort at the Japoma Sports Complex to players as well as spectators, if the complex was to host the Cameroon vrs Namibia match on September 7.

L’ONIES said with the rain, coupled with the two matches, Red Star of CAR vrs Djoliba of Mali, and Victoria United of Cameroon vrs Samartex 1996 of Ghana, that were played at the Japoma Stadium on Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18 respectively, makes it imperative that the stadium has to undergo a serious technical ‘treatment’, which will last at least 30 days, for it to be a good state that can conveniently host the international match billed for September 7. Thus the Japoma Sports Complex will no longer be available for the AFCON qualifier on September 7. L’ONIES went ahead to propose to FECAFOOT the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde, which it said is in good state and thus ready to host the match. This means relocating the venue of the match, Cameroon vrs Namibia, from Douala to Yaounde.

FECAFOOT Says No Change Of Venue

However in a rapid response to the correspondence of l’ONIES, FECAFOOT in a correspondence on August 20 signed by the Federation’s President, Samuel Eto’o Fils, was firm that at this stage, it is not possible for the Federation to make any modification to the venue of the Cameroon vrs Namibia match. FECAFOOT pointed out that CAF has already confirmed the Japoma Sports Complex as the venue of the AFCON qualifier, and that the Confederation has also already informed all the parties concerned with the match. FECAFOOT warned that to relocate the match from one town to the other at this stage, could cause significant financial losses and organizational problems to the Federation and the Namibian team, and to CAF as well. FECAFOOT insisted in the correspondence that the Cameroon – Namibia match will have to be played at the Japoma Sports Complext in Douala, and that it is out of the question to relocate the match.

MINSEP – FECAFOOT Conflict

From the look of things, the dispute that has erupted between Eto’o Fils’s FECAFOOT and Bell’s l’ONIES, is part of the resurgence of the bitter conflict that erupted between the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education headed by Prod Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, and FECAFOOT headed by Samuel Eto’o Fils last April. The conflict sparked off over the appointment of the technical staff of the Cameroon’s senior male national football team, the Indomitable Lions.

It is clear from the August 20 correspondence of FECAFOOT addressed to l’ONIES, that the Federation either rightly or wrongly thinks that l’ONIES  has been influenced  by some quarters or ‘enemies’ of the Federation, to backtrack on its promise made on August 7, and to now say that the Japoma stadium will not be ready or available for the September 7 match. FECAFOOT first of all reminded l’ONIES that in an earlier correspondence in this same month of August, precisely on August 7, the Board had assured the Federation that the stadium would be available, and thus ready to host the AFCON qualifier.

FECAFOOT Sees Complaint About Weather As A Pretext

FECAFOOT also in the August 20 correspondence for example, asked l’ONIES whether the climatic condition in Douala for this year is new, or better still whether it is different from what has been happening over the years. This clearly shows that FECAFOOT sees the complaint about the unfair weather condition that l”ONIES raised in its correspondence of August 19, as a mere pretext and not the real cause of the claim that the Japoma Sports Complex will not be in good state to host the September 7 match.

FECAFOOT in the August 20 correspondence also made it clear that the Cameroon national team (indomitable Lions), is not obliged to play all its matches at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium. FECAFOOT in the correspondence noted that under the “wise leadership of the President of the Republic, Paul Biya”, the Cameroon Government has realized a vast programme to provide all regions in the country with good sports infrastructures and equipment.

The Situation Of Uncertainty

Meanwhile before this dispute between FECAFOOT and l’ONIES sparked off, a rumour has been circulating that the real reason why FECAFOOT decided to move the Cameroon – Namibia match to Douala instead of Yaounde, was rather a strategy to enable the Federation to possibly have an upper hand in the control of the situation, unlike the Cameroon – Cape Verde world cup qualifier in Yaounde last June, when MINSEP clearly had a upper hand in the control of the situation. This appears to be the real reason for the insistence by FECAFOOT that the match be played in Douala.

The Ministry of Sports and Physical Education on the other hand, seems to be behind the manipulation that the Cameroon – Namibia match be relocated back to Yaounde. This is seemingly another show of force by MINSEP in the conflict with FECAFOOT. There is also no doubt that the Coach of the Indomitable Lions, Marc Brys, supports thel idea that the Cameroon – Namibia match should take place at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde. He had earlier expressed his opinion on the issue, saying that he prefers the Yaounde stadium for the match.  FECAFOOT however insist that it is the Federation that has the right to decide on the venue of the match.

For now, however, the situation is that of uncertainty as to whether the AFCON qualifier of September 7 will hold in Douala or Yaounde. It is a matter of wait and see.